Pine Crest boys swimmers win District 10-1A meet

October 27, 2012|By Gary Curreri, Correspondent

BOCA RATON — Pine Crest's 24-year dominance in girls swimming came to an end on Saturday night as host St. Andrew's won the meet's final relay event to secure the District 10-1A swimming and diving competition at the Duff Tyler Aquatic Complex.

St. Andrew's sophomore Megan Moroney entered the pool on the anchor leg in the 400-yard freestyle event with a slight lead and edged out Pine Crest's Brittany Hammond for a 3:32.76 clocking and securing the Scots first girls title since 1988. St. Andrew's finished with 548 points, while Pine Crest was second with 535.

"I was really pleased with the boys performance," said Pine Crest coach Jay Fitzgerald. "We knew the St. Andrew's girls were coming for us. They are a good team. I really thought truthfully they'd win both, but our boys did a good job."

Pine Crest's boys won for the 25th time in 26 years, including the past 15 consecutive years. Pine Crest finished with 562 points, while St. Andrew's was second with 489.

Pine Crest junior Descartes Holland won the 50 free (21.76) boys and the boys 100 free (47.72), while fellow junior Kent Haeffner won the 200 freestyle 1:43.35 and the 500-free in 4:37.02.

"We knew the team was in a dogfight this year to try and win and I felt that winning both of my events today were crucial to my team's victory," Holland said.

In a stunning upset, St. Andrew's Blair Mulka, who won the district and regional meet and finished third in the Class 1A state meet last year, failed two dives and won't move on in the state series.

Pine Crest sophomore Carolyn Chaney, who was second to Mulka in the districts and regionals last year before winning the state title, easily won the 1-meter diving and led a 1-2-3 sweep. The Pine Crest boys also took the first four spots in boys diving led by junior Connor Gerrits (437.25).